Resilient railway spike



Patented Jan. 2, 1940 PATENT OFFICE RE SILIENT RAILWAY SPIKE Harold G. Warr, Park Ridge, Ill., assignor to Poor- & Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application June 13, 1938 Serial No. 213,317

17 Claims.

This invention .relates to a new and improved railway spike having an elastic arm composed of a plurality of resilient leaves adapted to overlie and resiliently clamp the base portion of a railroad rail to an underlying supporting structure.

Rail spikes of the above class, as heretofore made, comprise a metal strip bent upon itself to provide a straight shank portion adapted to be driven into a railway cross tie. The free ends of the folded strip are bent laterally to provide an arm composed of resilient leaves arranged in superposed relation so that the wide undersurface of the lower leaf will bear on the top face of the rail base. The superposed relation of said leaves permits them to move lengthwise in relation to each other when the arm is flexed vertically, for example, when the rail moves upwardly relative to the cross tie during the normal wave movement of the rail.

Spikes of the above class are intended to exert a substantial spring pressure on the rail base flange. Consequently the relatively wide fiat face of the lower spring leaf of the spike arm has a substantial frictional hold on the rail base flange and therefore has a tendency to move with the rail independently of the upper leaf of the spike arm. Under such conditions the lower leaf of the arm is carried forward and out of alignment with the upper leaf by any appreciable lengthwise movement of the rail.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide improved structures, in spikes of the above character, to prevent movement of the arm members with relation to each other when the rail moves in the direction of its length across the underlying supporting cross tie.

A further object is to provide improved constructions for accomplishing the above object and at the same time provide reinforcement for'one or more of the superposed leaves of the spike arm.

Another object is to. provide, in spikes of the above general class, suitable means for interlocking the resilient leaves of the spike arm against displacement laterally with relation to each other but which will permit relative lengthwise movement of the superposed leaves of the arm during vertical flexing movement of the arm as a whole.

According to one embodiment of the invention the end portions of the resilient leaves of the spike arm are spread apart so that their lower under faces will engage and exert equal pressure on the rail flange at spaced locations, whereby any forces exerted on the arms tending to move them lengthwise of the rail are exerted equally on both arms. In the other embodiments described herein, the resilientleaves of the spike arm are maintained in superposed alignment by the provision. of interlocking connections which hold the leaves against lateral displacement but permit free lengthwise movement of the leaves with relation to each other. The leaves of the spike arm may be interlocked at their extremities or at any other suitable location.-

The invention is illustrated in certain preferred embodiments in the accompanying drawings, wherein: I I

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view through the base portion of a rail and its supporting structure showing a resilient rail spike constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is an end view in elevation of the laterally extending spring arm of the rail spike shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the spike and rail base shown in Fig. 1.

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary sectional and plan views, respectively, showing a modified form of rail spike in which the upper and lower leaves of the resilient arm are spaced apart at their outer ends so that each leaf of the arm bears firmly upon the rail. base.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view illustrating another modification in which the end portions of the leaves of the spike arm are formed with central corrugations which nest with each other to maintain the leaves in their superposed alignas ment.

Fig. '7 is an end view of the resilient arm shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view through the base portion of a. rail and its supporting structure illustrating another modified embodiment of the invention.

10 is an end view of the resilient arm of the spike showing the interlocking relationship of the leaves of the arm, and

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the spike structure shown in Fig. 9.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, Ill designates the base portion of a railroad rail supported on a suitable supporting structure. The said supporting structure dis-' closed herein preferably comprises an ordinary woodencrosstie ll andtheusualmetaltieplate l I2, the latter of which is interposed between the cross tie and the base portion of the rail.

The resilient spike is designated by the reference numeral I3 and preferably comprises a strip of steel, rectangular in cross section and of greater width than thickness, bent upon itself to provide a split body or shank portion I 4 adapted to be driven into a pre-bored hole I5 in the cross tie. The leg portions I5--I'I of the spike shank are preferably pressed firmly together so that this portion of the spike will be substantially solid when it is driven into the hole I5. The diameter of the hole I5 is such that the substantially square shank portion of the spike cuts into the circular walls of the hole and thereby provides a tight frictional engagement with the cross tie. The lower end of the shank may be tapered as indicated at I8 to facilitate easy entrance thereof into the spike hole. The free ends of the folded metal strip are bent near the upper end of the spike into hook form as shown at I9 to provide a laterally extending resilient arm adapted to exert resilient pressure on the top surface of the rail base when the spike is driven to its desired position in the cross tie. The free ends of the metal strip are bent so that the arm of the spike is composed of resilient leaves -2I arranged in superposed alignment and so that the wide face of the lower leaf 20 will bear on the top surface of the rail base and exerts a holding grip thereon equal to the combined resilient pressure of both leaves. The said resilient leaves have capacity for relative movement in the direction of their length but are held, preferably, by an interlocking engagement with each other, against relative transverse movement and thereby resist any tendency of the lower leaf 2|] to be carried forward relative to the upper leaf by any longitudinal movements of the rail. The desired interlock of said leaves is provided preferably by reducing the extremity of the lower leaf to provide a tongue portion 22. The said tongue is bent upwardly into a recess 23 formed in the extremity of the upper arm 2|. This construction provides a simplified interlock which can be formed by relatively simple punching and bending operations. Preferably the said tongue and recess are formed in the opposite ends of the metal strip orblank before the blank is folded upon itself.

In applying the resilient spike shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the shank is inserted in a suitable opening 24 in the tie plate and driven into the pre-bored opening I5 of the underlying cross tie. When the end of the lower leaf 20 of the flexible arm comes into contact with the top surface of the rail base, the shank of the spike is forced a sufficient additional distance into the cross tie to provide the desired spring tension in the leaves 202I of the flexible arm.

The squared opening 24 in the tie plate together with the squared shank portion of the spike prevents the spike from being rotated about a vertical axis when the rail tends to move in the direction of its length across the tie plate. Any tendency which the said lengthwise movement of the rail may have to shift the lower leaf 20 of the spike arm laterally relative to the upper leaf 2| thereof is resisted by the interlocking engagement of the tongue 22 in the recess 23. It will be observed, however, that the interlocking engagement does not interfere with the normal relative movement of the leaves 202I in the direction of their length when the spring arm as a whole is flexed vertically of the rail.

Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5, the leaves 2Ila 2 I a of the resilient arm of the spike are preferably bent at 25-26, respectively, so that the extremity of each leaf will bear upon the top surface of the rail base at spaced locations lengthwise of the rail. The spring leaves of the spike arm have equal bearing area on the rail base. The laterally spaced ends of the said leaves 20w-2Ia are maintained in fixed spaced relation to each other during any lengthwise movement of the rail by means of the edge contact of the leaves at substantially the point indicated at A in Fig. 5. The total resilient pressure exerted on the rail base by the present embodiment will be substantially the same as the resilient pressure exerted by the previous embodiment. However, the area of contact on the rail, by reason of the spaced relation of the resilient leaves of the arm, is substantially greater than the area of contact provided in the previous embodiment.

In Figs. 6, 7 and 8 the superposed resilient leaves 20b-2Ib of the resilient spike arm are maintained in their superposed. alignment by means of pressed corrugations 21-28 formed in the outer end portions of the leaves and extend lengthwise of the leaves. The corrugation 21 of the lower leaf fits within the pressed recess of the corrugation 28 so as to provide a positive interlock between the leaves to prevent lateral displacement and at the same time permit the leaves to move lengthwise with relation to each other. The said corrugations may extend to any desired distance lengthwise of the leaves and thereby serve to reinforce and rigidify the leaves of the arm when such reinforcement is suitable or desirable. It will be noted by inspection of Figs. 6, 7 and 8 that any movement of the lower leaf 20b lengthwise of the rail will tend to force the corrugation 21 out of its nesting relation in the recess of corrugation 28 and thereby increase the spring tension in the leaf 2Ib. This additional tension in the leaf 2Ib increases the grip of the spike arm as a whole on the rail base and thereby increases the resistance to the lengthwise movement of the rail.

In Figs. 9, 10 and 11 another modified interlocking engagement of the spring leaves is shown. In this modification the extremity of the upper leaf 2Ic is preferably flattened and widened as indicated at 29 and the opposite edges of the widened portions are turned downwardly so as to overlap the vertical edge faces of the lower spring leaf 200. The downturned portions 303ll of the upper leaf provide a channel in which a portion of the lower leaf 200 is free to move lengthwise but which serves to positively lock the leaves together against lateral displacement.

The several modified spike constructions, except in the respects hereinabove mentioned, may be the same as the constructions described in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings. The lower portions of the modified spikes are therefore omitted from the drawings and the corresponding illustrated parts of the spikes are designated by the same reference numerals as employed in connection with the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, with the addition of the exponents a, b and 0, respectively.

While the principles of this invention are illustrated in several specific embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not to be restricted to the specific constructions shown and described except insofar as those constructions are specifically defined in the appended claims.

I claim 1. A rail spike for resiliently clamping a railroad rail to an underlying supporting structure, comprising a shank portion adapted to be driven into said supporting structure, an arm united with the shank for exerting elastic clamping pressure onthe rail base comprising a pair of re-" silient leaves of greater width than thickness arranged flatwise with respect to the base of the rail, and means for holding said leaves from rela tive lateral movement in one direction comprising a portion of one leaf positioned to abut laterally against a portion of an adjacent leaf.

2. A rail spike for resiliently clamping a railroad rail toan underlying supporting structure, comprising a shank portion adapted to be driven intosaid supporting structure, an arm united with the shank for exerting elastic clamping pressure on the said base comprising a pair of resilient leaves having capacity for relative lengthwise movement and means for holding said leaves from relative lateral movement in one direction comprising a portion of one leaf positioned to abut laterally against a portion of an adjacent leaf.

3. A rail spike for resiliently clamping a railroad rail to an underlying supporting structure,

comprising a laminated shank portion adapted to be driven into said supporting structure, a resilient arm united with the shank for exerting elastic clamping pressure on the rail base comprising a pair of vertically flexible leaves having means thereon for slidably interlocking the said leaves to permit relative lengthwise movement thereof and prevent relative lateral movement; said means comprising a recessed portion of one leaf positioned to embrace a portion of an adjacent leaf.-

4. A rail spike for resiliently clamping a railroad rail to an underlyingsupporting structure, comprising a shank portion adapted to be driven into said supporting structure, and a laterally extending arm for exerting elastic clamping pressure on the rail base comprising a pair of superposed resilient leaves curved outwardly from the shank, and means formed integrally with the leaves for preventing relative movement of the leaves in one direction but permitting relative movement thereof in the direction lengthwise of the leaves comprising a projection on one of the leaves extending into a recessed portion of the other leaf.

5. A rail spike for resiliently clamping a railroad rail to an underlying supporting structure, comprising a laminated shank portion having the parts thereof connected at their lower ends and adapted to'be driven into said supporting structure, and a laterally extending arm composed of superposed resilient leaves having interlocking engagement with each other to prevent relative lateral displacement and. adapted 'to exert elastic clamping pressure on the base flange of a rail; said interlocking engagement comprising a recessed portion of one leaf for slidably receiving a portion of an adjacent leaf.

6. A rail spike for resiliently clamping a rail have capacity for relative lengthwise, movement but are locked against relative lateral displacement.

7. A rail spike for resiliently clamping a railroad rail to an underlying supporting structure, comprising a shank portion adapted to be driven into said supporting structure, and a laterally extending arm composed of superposed resilient leaves having interlocking engagement with each other and adapted to exert elastic clamping pressure on the base flange of a rail, said interlocking engagement comprising a lug on one leaf and a recessed portion of an adjacent leaf for slidably receiving said lug, whereby the leaves have capacity for relative lengthwise movement during vertical flexing of the arm and are locked against relative lateral displacement.

8. A rail spike for resiliently clamping a railroad rail to an underlying supporting structure, comprising a shank portion adapted to be driven into said supporting structure, and a laterally extending arm composed of superposed resilient leaves having interlocking engagement with each other and adapted to exert elastic clamping pressure on the base flange of a rail, said interlocking engagement comprising an upturned end of the lower leaf and a recessed portion of an adjacent upper leaf for slidably receiving said upturned end portion, whereby the leaves have capacity for relative lengthwise movement during vertical flexing of the arm and are locked against relative lateral displacement.

9. A rail spike for resiliently clamping a railroad rail to an underlying supporting structure, comprising a shank portion adapted to be driven into said supporting structure, and a laterally extending spring arm composed of superposed resilient leaves having interlocking engagement with each other and adapted to exert elastic clamping pressure on the base flange of a rail, said interlocking engagement comprising pressed corrugations formed on the leaves of the arm adapted to fit one within another to prevent lateral displacement of the leaves.

10. A rail spike for resiliently clamping a railroad rail to an underlying supporting structure, comprising a shank portion adapted to be driven into said supporting structure, and a laterally extending spring arm composed of superposed resilient leaves adapted to exert elastic clamping pressure on the base portion of a rail, the longitudinal edge portions of one leaf being bent to provide angularly disposed flanges which embrace the lon-gitudinal edges of an adjacent leaf, whereby the leaves have capacity for lengthwise relative movement during the vertical flexing of the arm and are interlocked against relative lateral displacement.

ll. A rail, spike for resiliently clamping a railroad rail to an underlying supporting structure,

comprising a shank portion adapted to be driven into said supporting structure, and a laterally extending spring arm composed of superposed resilient leaves having interlocking engagement with each other and adapted to exert elastic clamping pressure on the base flange of a rail, said interlocking engagement comprising pressed corrugations extending lengthwise of the leaves and adapted to nest one within another to lock the leaves against pressures tending to displace them laterally.

12. A rail spike comprising a metal'strip folded upon itself to provide a shank portion of suitable length adapted to be driven into a rail supportin." structure and having the free ends of the 15 folded strip bent into hook form to provide a laterally extending arm composed of superposed resilient leaves arranged fiatwise with respect to the top surface of the rail, and means on the arm for holding the said leaves thereof against relative lateral displacement.

13. A rail spike comprising a metal strip folded upon itself to provide a shank portion of suitable length adapted to be driven into a rail supporting structure and having the free ends of the said strip bent laterally into hook form to provide an arm composed of superposed resilient leaves arranged flatwise with respect to the top surface of the rail; one of said leaves being formed with a portion adapted to interlock with a portion of another to resist forces tending to displace the leaves laterally with relation to each other.

14. A rail spike comprising a metal strip folded upon itself to provide a shank portion of suitable length adapted to be driven into a rail supporting structure and having the free ends of said strip bent into hook form to provide an arm composed of superposed resilient leaves arranged flatwise with respect to'the top surface of the rail, the lower leaf being formed with a projection adapted to interlock with a portion of another leaf to prevent lateral displacement of the leaves with relation to each other.

15. A rail spike comprising a metal strip folded upon itself to provide a shank portion adapted to be driven into a rail supporting structure and having the free ends of said strip bent into hook form to provide an elastic arm composed of superposed resilient leaves adapted to exert pressure on the top surface of a rail base, one of said leaves being formed with a portion adapted to interlock with a portion of the next adjacent leaf to resist forces tending to displace the leaves laterally with relation to each other.

16. A rail spike comprising a metal strip folded upon itself to provide a shank portion of suitable length adapted to be driven into a rail supporting structure, and having the free ends of said strip bent into hook form to provide a laminated resilient arm adapted to exert clamping pressure on the top surface of a rail base, one of said leaves being formed with a recess extending lengthwise thereof and the other leaf having a portion projecting into said recess and slidable therein lengthwise of the arm to interlock the leaves thereof against forces tending to displace them laterally with relation to each other.

17. A rail spike comprising a metal strip folded upon itself to provide a shank portion adapted to be driven into a rail supporting structure and having the free ends of the stripbent into hook form to provide a laterally extending arm composed of superposed resilient leaves arranged flatwise with respect to the top surface of the rail, one of said leaves being formed with a pressed recess extending lengthwise thereof and the other leaf having an up-pressed portion slidably fitting within said pressed recess to interlock the leaves of said arm against the forces tending to displace them laterally with relation to each other.

HAROLD G. WARR. 

